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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

My mum forces me to befriend certain people I'm not comfortable with

38 replies

user1471867483 · 08/07/2025 19:11

One guy, who is about 60, has very slight special needs, but can manage to hold down a job. He is the son of a very elderly neighbour who is now in a home. She's a lovely lady, but this 60 year old son frightens me. I grew up around him and his mum. Mum keeps saying to me why can't I be nice to him. I tell her I've never ever not been nice, but I just withdraw from his presence if he comes round to visit/comes to the door. Another neighbour describes him as strange, another said he needs a kick up the bum, another said he found his stares uncomfy. He's never done anything bad to me or anyone I know of, but I can't help the way I feel 🤷.My mum says, "You never know he might be of help one day". I remind her that he pulled a face when we asked him to help with our garden when mum and I were both ill once. He even asked mum and I to help tidy his garden! Am I being unreasonable?

OP posts:
user1471867483 · 08/07/2025 19:46

realsavagelike · 08/07/2025 19:42

What would happen if you ignore the shouting? Do you live together?

Yes. I've nowhere else to go 😞

OP posts:
TizerorFizz · 08/07/2025 19:49

@user1471867483 Hmm. You have not moved out? Doesn’t seem healthy to me.

MsPurpleSundance · 08/07/2025 19:51

Trust your gut and protect yourself.

This has happened to me twice. A man my parents knew (not a close friend) used to joke I was his girlfriend when I was 13/14 years old, and he made me so uncomfortable that I’d ignore him when he spoke to me. My mum never told me off but I could tell she was embarrassed. I found out when I was older that he moved to Turkey to prey on young teenage girls.

My dad also had a cousin who was so creepy that my sister and I would hide in our bedroom when he occasionally visited. He was later accused of sexually assaulting his girlfriend’s sister and fired from his job as a shopping mall security guard for being inappropriate with young teenage girls. No-one in the family keeps in contact with him now.

Remember that you don’t owe this man anything.

Redlocks30 · 08/07/2025 19:52

I was going to say why would you have to have anything to do with your mum's neighbour, but I see you are 54 and still live at home!

Why?!

thistimelastweek · 08/07/2025 19:57

CliantheLang · 08/07/2025 19:33

Ignore this. Women don't have to 'beeee kiiind!' and/or respect creepy men.

This guy has special needs and has never hurt anyone.

So how would you treat him?

Cucy · 08/07/2025 19:57

I don’t judge anyone living at home, I assume you help care for your mum.

But the issue is that the parent-child dynamic never goes away.

Be polite but you do not have to be around anyone you don’t feel comfortable around.

StMarie4me · 08/07/2025 19:58

54 and says “swear down”?!

My kids in their 30s are too old to say that.

My grandkids may say it but not so much now they’ve hit their teens.,

ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews · 08/07/2025 20:01

By keeping him at arms length.

Her spidey sense is jangling regarding this man.
Women should always pay attention to that. It might well keep her safe.

realsavagelike · 08/07/2025 20:01

Really sorry that you find yourself in this situation. Very tough if you have to live with a controlling person with no means of creating distance. Is there any way you could flat/house share or any alternative at all?

27pilates · 08/07/2025 20:18

nomas · 08/07/2025 19:40

Ignore yourself. The CF was in response to OP saying they asked him to do their garden.

Don’t be deliberately dense @nomas
You obviously chose to ignore all the requests made by creepy neighbour to OP and focus on the one request by OP to creepy neighbour. Why would you do that ?🙄

nomas · 08/07/2025 20:19

27pilates · 08/07/2025 20:18

Don’t be deliberately dense @nomas
You obviously chose to ignore all the requests made by creepy neighbour to OP and focus on the one request by OP to creepy neighbour. Why would you do that ?🙄

You are the one making dense posts. Can you not read that OP posted about the requests from the neighbour AFTER my post?

Why would you not RTFT? 🙄

user1471867483 · 08/07/2025 21:09

realsavagelike · 08/07/2025 19:40

How does your mum 'force' you?

Yells, bringing up the same convo for decades.

OP posts:
user1471867483 · 08/07/2025 21:12

MsPurpleSundance · 08/07/2025 19:51

Trust your gut and protect yourself.

This has happened to me twice. A man my parents knew (not a close friend) used to joke I was his girlfriend when I was 13/14 years old, and he made me so uncomfortable that I’d ignore him when he spoke to me. My mum never told me off but I could tell she was embarrassed. I found out when I was older that he moved to Turkey to prey on young teenage girls.

My dad also had a cousin who was so creepy that my sister and I would hide in our bedroom when he occasionally visited. He was later accused of sexually assaulting his girlfriend’s sister and fired from his job as a shopping mall security guard for being inappropriate with young teenage girls. No-one in the family keeps in contact with him now.

Remember that you don’t owe this man anything.

Gosh, you are so right xx

OP posts:
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